Latest Posts

UPDATE 6:59 pm: It’s official, Paul Pierce will not only play but start for the Celtics in their home opener against the Pistons, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Don’t expect 35 minutes of run in his first game, he’ll get eased back in a bit. However, against a weaker team at home is…

The question is not raw talent. Michael Beasley has plenty of that. You don’t get drafted No. 2 overall without signs of serious potential. But Beasley has never come anywhere near that potential. As the Miami Heat — the team that drafted Beasley — are about to take him and his new Timberwolves team on,…

Golden State’s scoring power could be very depleted when Philadelphia comes to town Saturday. Monta Ellis has been given permission to miss the game to attend the funeral of his grandmother who recently passed away in Mississippi, reports Matt Steinmetz at CSNBayArea.com. “Bottom line is he’s a family member going through something right now,” (coach…

Add that to your list of quirky pregame rituals. That is Mavs reserve Sean Williams. Really the best part of this is the obviously confused Rodrigue Beaubois, who must never have ever considered trying that before, let alone doing it in warmups in front of 18,000 people. Great find by KD at Ball Don’t Lie.

The upside of the NBA’s lockout-compacted 66-game schedule? It can shorten the lengths of previously handed-down suspensions, with Andrew Bynum and Charlie Villanueva receiving that benefit of the doubt to start the season. The downside? Less tolerance from big brother, namely NBA czar of discipline Stu Jackson. While much was made publicly of the league…

Through the Miami Heat’s first three games, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade have combined for zero three-point attempts. Not one. Last season they would have averaged 19 by now. This is not by accident. As part of Miami’s new aggressive, up-tempo style LeBron and Wade are trying to attack the rim, not settle for threes.…

Tim Duncan didn’t touch the court in the second half of the Spurs loss Thursday to the Rockets. Manu Ginobili played the first seven minutes of the second half then sat the rest of the way. Tony Parker sat the last 14 minutes. The Spurs bench and younger legs got more run. The Spurs were…

The 2012 United States Olympic team will land in London the overwhelming favorites for the gold medal. But they will not just be battling Spain — the best team in their way and a legitimate threat — they will be battling history. 2012 will be the 20th anniversary of the original Dream Team — Magic…

Make all the “Dick Bavetta used to whistle George Mikan for fouls” jokes you want, this is pretty impressive. From Peter Vecsey at the New York Post: Last night in Orlando, the 72-year-old (his birthday’s Dec. 10) whistleblower worked his 2,500th consecutive regular-season game. Ruminate on that statistic for a second. And now consider this…

One thing that has seemed self evident in the Knicks two losses on the West Coast is that they lack a team-organizing point guard. They don’t need Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo level players at the point, but they need someone who better fits Mike D’Antoni’s system and can organize the offense better. The Knicks…

Selfless. Really, that is the best word to describe Magic coach Stan Van Gundy. Reporters in Orlando were talking with Van Gundy about the alleged rift between Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant when Van Gundy came up with an inspired solution, according to the Oklahoman (via Ball Don’t Lie). “I think it’s very serious, and…

Welcome to our morning look around the NBA — links to stories worth reading and notes to check out (stuff that did not get its own post here at PBT). Who are the guys in the NBA not nearly as tall as listed? Well, if J.J. Barea is 6’0” then I am looking down on…

Just to add to the misery of the Knicks last couple of days… Amar’e Stoudemire rolled his ankle during the fourth quarter of the Knicks loss to the Lakers on Thursday and is questionable for the team’s game Saturday in Sacramento, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I have it wrapped up, I’ll…

Not to be outdone by LeBron James (who owns a piece of Liverpool in the English Premiere League), Kevin Garnett has gotten into the European club ownership pool. He is about to own a piece of Roma of the Serie A league in Italy, reports the Associated Press. Roma confirmed to The Associated Press that…

Dwight Howard is trying to control the process — he has given the Magic a list of places he is willing to sign a contract extension if traded (Dallas, New Jersey and with the Los Angeles Lakers). But the Magic are hoping other teams will jump in with bids to rent the superstar center for…

What you missed while watching an octopus pick the BCS matchups…. Lakers 99, Knicks 82: We broke this down as our game of the night. Thunder 104, Mavericks 102: This was easily the best game the Mavericks have played this season. The ball movement was back, the clever veteran plays were there. Delonte West said…

The talk coming into the season was how Tyson Chandler was going to change the Knicks defense. He might, eventually. But Mike Brown has brought new energy and physicality to the Lakers defense right now — the Knicks shot 31.7 percent Thursday night (and for the season opponents are shooting only 38 percent against the…

Dallas played the best game they have all season. With a chance to take the lead late Dirk Nowitzki made a smart play drawing the defense in and kicking to Vince Carter for a wide open three. The Mavs were up 102-101 with 1.4 seconds left. Ballgame? Not after this Kevin Durant shot. Thunder win…

Expect to see Paul Pierce back in a Celtics uniform when they take on the Pistons Friday. Nothing is official yet, but that has been the rumor for a while. Then came this tweet from Pierce on Thursday: I’m close very very close very Celtics fans will forgive the odd grammar if he gets back…

“Nothing to see here, move along.” No, we’re not just quoting Chief Clancy Wiggum, we’re summing up what Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Thunder coach Scott Brooks said about the altercation on the bench between Westbrook and Durant on Wednesday. Royce Young of Eye on Basketball spoke to Westbrook and Durant about everything at shootaround…